Attack on FERS

[brooksmd]

"I've known at least a couple employees whose spouse's corporate health benefits far exceeded FEHB at less cost to the employee."---Texarkandy

Not all. My wife works for a big name university hospital in New Orleans and their health benefits to be polite, "inhale".

 

[jpcavin]

Report says Obama will endorse plan that will cut 'feds benefits. "FERS employees would pay about 5.8 percent of their salaries toward a pension, instead of the 0.8 percent they currently contribute."

http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110412/AGENCY04/104120304/1001

 

[James48843]

So there you have it.

Paul Ryan and the republicans want to freeze federal employee pay and destroy FERS althogether.

The alternative is that President Obama is going to endorse the Deficit Comission's proposal to make employee pay much more for FERS, and make retirement based on high five instead of high three.

Man it sucks. Time to move the conversation to

http://beltwaytalk.com

 

[jpcavin]

So there you have it.

Paul Ryan and the republicans want to freeze federal employee pay and destroy FERS althogether.

The alternative is that President Obama is going to endorse the Deficit Comission's proposal to make employee pay much more for FERS, and make retirement based on high five instead of high three.

Man it sucks. Time to move the conversation to

http://beltwaytalk.com

Just keeping everyone informed of what's cooking. I don't care to discuss the cooks in the kitchen.

 

[jpcavin]

Ok, this is absolutely the closest I'll get to a political discussion.

Gang of Six working on the deficit reduction deal includes 3 democrats and 3 republicans
http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110412/CONGRESS02/104120301/1001

 

[jpcavin]

Yikes!

Since our pensions are 1/2 of CSRS, and they pay 7%...I could see paying 3.5% (up from current 1%)....but going up to near 6%. Ouch!

Also...regarding FEHB (from the article):

"The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program would also be transformed into a premium support system under the Simpson-Bowles plan. Under this program, federal employees would receive a fixed subsidy from the government they could use to purchase health insurance from competing insurers. The subsidy would grow by no more than the gross domestic product, plus one percentage point, each year. This is projected to save $2 billion in 2015 and $18 billion through 2020."

How big is that fixed subsidy? 30 bucks?
And with Insurance costs going up 10%/yr, and GDP+1% somewhere between 1-4%/yr...in 5 years we'll be paying nearly our entire premium.
Hell with that...bring me CA Single Payer...now!

The premiums may be less with the insurance companies competing for your $30 bucks. :suspicious:

 

[WorkFE]

Mandatory Healthcare would eliminate the need to compete. The companies would just agree on percentage share

 

[jpcavin]

I really don't know what to say about our present government and our current situation. Wish we could just go back to the days of Harding and Coolidge.

 

[hessian]

Hey Jim,

Me and you see eye to eye on most things politically.
However, I'm trying really hard not to point too much "politically" here.
I think we can just keep it (and so far have been) on the FERS issues without pointing to parties in a derogatory way.

However, if some want to go from a PG rated thread (for Polite) to an R rating (for violence:cheesy then maybe we could do a 2nd version of this thread on the Beltway, where its OK to throw on some partisan "red meat" or "blue burgers" on the grill.

Good one Fire,
I really think most of the banter we are currently hearing is simply just political posturing. IMO, try to remember that this is only the beginning - and we'll hear alot more bizarre ideas from both sides - I expect many to be really very far "Out There" at least intitially.
As both work from the farthes extremes, toward the middle, where everything will end up is anyone's quess, at this early time. Personally, I'm not going to be paying much attention until time time starts toward approaching the final deadline.
Then, as usual, final days/hours of desperation will decide.
Is this opinion political - I think not because it is the reality of today (IMO shameful). But, but apologies in advance if I crossed the "invisible" grey line. VR

 

[Warrenlm]

So there you have it.

Paul Ryan and the republicans want to freeze federal employee pay and destroy FERS althogether.

The alternative is that President Obama is going to endorse the Deficit Comission's proposal to make employee pay much more for FERS, and make retirement based on high five instead of high three.

Man it sucks. Time to move the conversation to

http://beltwaytalk.com

LOL. So suddenly you understand what it's like to be a bill payer instead of just a bill maker.